Simon Illyan
Simon Illyan (SAI-mn EEL-yn) was a captain in the Barrayaran Imperial Service and Chief of Imperial Security. Chosen as a young lieutenant by Emperor Ezar Vorbarra to receive a memory chip implant on IllyricaMemory chapter 5, he ran Barrayaran Imperial Security after the death of his predecessor Captain Negri for thirty years.Barrayar chapter 14 Biography Simon Illyan became an Imperial officer in a time where his non-Vor status barred him from the Imperial Service Academy. He was assigned to ImpSec after his commission''A Civil Campaign'' chapter 13; soon afterwards, he was chosen for a special duty, namely having an Illyrican memory chip implanted in his head that recorded everything he saw and heard, giving him a parallel artificial memory. This was done as a whim of Ezar Vorbarra. Most such implants produced schizophrenia or worse in their hosts, but Illyan survived with his sanity intact.Memory chapter 5 As a lieutenant in Imperial Security, Illyan was assigned to keep watch on Commodore Aral Vorkosigan during the Barrayaran invasion of Escobar.Shards of Honor chapter 8 Afterwards, he was promoted to commander and became Captain Negri's assistant. He was again assigned directly to Aral Vorkosigan by Ezar Vorbarra upon his death.Shards of Honor chapter 15 After Negri's violent death, Illyan inherited the post of Chief of Imperial Security.Barrayar chapter 14 Illyan refused to accept a promotion above captain, reluctant to promote himself above Captain Negri (though according to Miles, his pay grade was the equivalent of a Vice Admiral at the end of his career). In the last decade of his career, he was Lieutenant Miles Vorkosigan's immediate superior officer, and sent him on numerous missions for ImpSec. Illyan was the one to fire Lieutenant Vorkosigan when Vorkosigan falsified a mission report. Simon Illyan's military career ended when his memory chip was sabotaged by his subordinate Lucas Haroche. Illyan had a complete breakdown and relived events from his past at random while his chip dissolved in his head. His former subordinate Miles Vorkosigan gained an Imperial Auditor appointment to oversee his case, and ordered Illyan's chip removed. Illyan made a good recovery but never recovered his former edge and took a medical retirement. Afterwards, he began a relationship with Lady Alys Vorpatril. By the time of his retirement, Illyan had no surviving family members.Memory chapter 14 Personality and traits Illyan's biochip-aided memory added to his mystique as the head of Barrayar's secret police. Miles Vorkosigan, who worked under Illyan as a special agent, supposed that Illyan's successful integration with the chip was due to a judge-like innate ability to suspend belief or disbelief in multiple, conflicting sets of facts - an ability also very useful to a spymaster.Memory chapter 17 Post-chip, Illyan tended to worry about his memories fading - Lady Alys constantly reminded him that that was a normal biological function. He also tended to express his opinions openly, sometimes in an unintentionally tactless manner, a holdover from his brutally honest demeanor while acting Chief of ImpSec. However, his post-chip personality quirks had their uses. A rumor that Illyan was "addled" from the loss of his eidetic chip was spread to prevent his old enemies from attacking or even assassinating him.Captain Vorpatril's Alliance chapter 9 In appearance, Illyan was slight, brown-haired and extremely unimpressive.Barrayar chapter 1''Mirror Dance'' chapter 16 As ImpSec chief, he amplified this lack of presence to the point of virtual invisibility, the better to observe others. In his own domain, however, his air of blandness made him seem all the more menacing. He wore extremely conservative clothing which was not particularly well-fitted until Lady Alys convinced him to go to a tailor.Memory chapter 24 Behind the scenes Illyan is named partly for Illya Kuryakin, a character in the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and partly for Simon Butcher, from the television series The Wackiest Ship in the Army. Appearances *''Shards of Honor'' *''Barrayar'' *''The Warrior's Apprentice'' *''The Vor Game'' *''Cetaganda'' *''Brothers in Arms'' *''Borders of Infinity'' *''Mirror Dance'' *''Memory'' *''A Civil Campaign'' *"Winterfair Gifts" *''Captain Vorpatril's Alliance'' Notes and references Illyan, Simon